New Castle officer fired over viral video charged with civil rights violation

PITTSBURGH — A former New Castle police officer was indicted on a federal civil rights violation stemming from a violent arrest in May 2018.

A grand jury indicted Ronald Williams on Friday after he turned himself in to the FBI.

The video doesn't show the entire incident, but it does show Williams slamming Perry Lawry's head on a floor several times inside a home on East Washington Street.

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The video of the arrest was shared on Facebook more than 90,000 times.

The New Castle Police Department did its own internal investigation and fired Williams for excessive force.

"Would be very easy to judge this case solely on the video, and I understand the shock value of the video," said Steve Colafella, the attorney for Williams.

Colafella said the video doesn't show the suspect, Perry Lawry, reaching for a knife after being shocked with a Taser several times.

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